67th Plenary Meeting of General Assembly 72nd Session

Hailing legal committee’s role in progressive development, codification of international law, General Assembly unanimously adopts 23 texts at 67th Plenary meeting.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / General Assembly
• Video Length: 01:00:26
• Production Date: 7 December 2017
• Asset Language: Arabic; Chinese; English; French; Russian; Spanish
• Corporate Name: SIXTH COMMITTEE - LEGAL QUESTIONS
• Subject Topical: ACCOUNTABILITY; CRIMINAL JUSTICE; LAW
• Geographic Subject: SYRIA
• MAMS Id: 2055050
• Parent Id: 2054320

Description

Reaffirming the importance of progressive development and codification of international law, the General Assembly today adopted 17 resolutions and 6 decisions approved by its Sixth Committee (Legal).

In keeping with the long standing tradition of the Committee, all texts were adopted without a vote. Among them was the resolution, “The rule of law at the national and international levels”, which encouraged the United Nations system to accord high priority to rule of law activities and recognized the importance of restoring confidence in the principle as a key element of transitional justice.

Further, by that text, the General Assembly stressed the importance of adherence to the rule of law at the national level and the need to strengthen support to Member States, upon their request, in the domestic implementation of their respective international obligations through enhanced technical assistance and capacity building. That would support the development, reinforcement and maintenance of domestic institutions active in the promotion of the principle.

However, Syria’s representative expressed reservations, recalling that the Secretary General’s report that was referenced in the resolution drew attention to international accountability mechanisms. The International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Those Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011 was a professional mistake and a breach of the rule of law, he stressed. There had been no request for technical assistance from Syria, and the General Assembly did not have the prerogative to establish such a mechanism, he stressed.

Another resolution adopted by the General Assembly was the text, “Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country”. By its terms, the General Assembly recalled the privileges and immunities applicable to the premises of permanent missions to the United Nations enjoyed under international law. It also urged the host country to address alleged violations and to remove any restrictions inconsistent with the privileges and immunities applied to the premises of a permanent mission.

In keeping with the Sixth Committee’s commitment to benefit present and future generations of lawyers, the Assembly also adopted a resolution on the “United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law”. That text authorized the Secretary General to finance various Programme of Assistance activities from the regular budget, including, among others, the International Law Fellowship Programme, the United Nations Regional Courses in International Law, and the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law.

The General Assembly will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Friday, 10 November to consider the topics of culture of peace, and the strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance.